Yuengling Brewery fire could have been much worse

The Yuengling Brewery plant manager said the $1 million fire at the company's Tampa, Fla., facility could have been much worse.

Jim Helmke said the fire would have no effect on the brewing operations or distribution.

“The fire looked a lot worse than it really was,” he said

“It will be business as usual on Monday morning,” he added. “We are very fortunate. It does look bad. There is a gaping hole and charred remains, but there is no internal damage, except for the hole in the wall.”

Sixty firefighters were called in to battle the two-alarm fire Saturday, which only burned the outside wall of the facility, The Tampa Tribune reported.

From the street it appeared as though the entire five-story building was on fire, but the flames only spread to the top of the facade, which was supported by 60-year-old timbers.

“Though there is some damage, it’s nothing we can’t work around and continue to make beer,” Helmke said. “Fires are bad, but this could have been far, far, far worse.”

None of the employees working at the brewery at the time of the fire were injured. One firefighter was slightly injured battling the blaze and was hospitalized.

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